President

B.A. (Bruce) Archibald, Ph.D.

With vast experience working with rural communities and leading economic development initiatives in both the private and public sectors, Dr. Bruce Archibald brings valuable leadership and expertise to the executive team of FedDev Ontario. 

First employed in the private sector, Dr. Archibald joined the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) as a soil and crop specialist.  After a number of years in the ministry, he then followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming the acting Director of the Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario, Vineland Station.

In 1996, he was named the first Director of Laboratory Services Division with the University of Guelph.

In 1998, he returned to the Ontario Public Service as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology of the newly formed Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology.  Two years later, he returned to OMAFRA as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Farm Finance Division.

In April 2003, Dr. Archibald joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Research, where he led the development of a new science strategy for the department. Dr. Archibald left the federal government in 2005 to join the OMAFRA leadership team once again as Deputy Minister.

In 2008, Dr. Archibald became the first Deputy of the newly created Ministry of International Trade and Investment where, in addition to building a new ministry, he helped develop an international investment strategy for the province and was instrumental in attracting a number of strategic investments.

In June 2009, he was named Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade and accepted the position as the first President of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario in August 2009.

Dr. Archibald grew up in the Niagara Peninsula, is a second-generation public servant and is a third generation graduate of the University of Guelph, from which he holds a BSc. (Agr.), MSc and PhD.